The Writers Portfolio The Culminating Semester Projectfor Our Final

The Writer's Portfolio: The Culminating Semester Project For our final project, you'll revise the two major writing projects that you produced this semester—the Literacy Narrative and the Comparative Rhetorical Analysis. These two revised documents will be accompanied by the most important piece of the Writer's Portfolio: a three-to-four page reflective essay that describes your current views on the nature of writing and how your ideas about writing have changed this semester. The rhetorical situation: For this essay, you should consider me your audience. Your tone can be informal—almost (almost) as if we were having a conversation about the class. Of course, we're not; you won't be present as I read your essay, and I won't be able to stop and ask you questions, so be sure your essay is organized and explains your ideas completely and clearly.

But you needn't try to sound "academic." Try playing around here with a more relaxed voice; although I'm calling this an essay, it might actually sound more like a letter. The exigence: your purpose is to explain to me (and maybe to yourself?) what you've learned about writing this semester and how these ideas compare to your previous ideas about writing. In tackling this essay, you should address several other related topics. The essay should have a title ("Reflective Essay" is the name of the assignment —not your title!) that reflects the main concerns of your essay; identify and discuss the two or three assigned readings that proved most influential for you this term, and how they've influenced you and your ideas about writing; describe your own approach to writing situations (whether school assignments, professional needs, or personal) and discuss the ways in which your approach has changed (if it has changed), using the two revised submissions in the portfolio as examples/evidence of what you're describing; identify those areas where you feel you need the most continuing practice as we move into the second semester (and again, you might use your revised submissions as examples/evidence).

What would you like to focus on in the spring term in developing your understanding of and approach to writing? To create your portfolio, copy and paste all of the files (your reflective essay and your revised major projects) into a single document to upload. Each of the three pieces should be formatted according to MLA guidelines. You may include one Works Cited page for your entire portfolio. The completed portfolio will be due by the end of the day on which we're scheduled for a final exam. Please see the

Moodle upload deadline for the exact date and time.

Paper For Above instruction

The culminating semester project for the Writer's Portfolio requires students to reflect on and revise their previous major writing assignments, specifically the Literacy Narrative and the Comparative Rhetorical Analysis, and to compose a reflective essay that explores their evolving understanding of writing. This essay should be informal in tone, engaging, and organized, as it is addressed to the instructor who will read it without immediate interaction. Students are encouraged to adopt a conversational style, similar to a letter, to convey their thoughts clearly and authentically.

The primary purpose of the essay is for students to articulate what they have learned about writing during the semester, how their perceptions have changed, and the influences that shaped these changes. In doing so, students should identify and discuss two or three influential readings that impacted their view of writing, explaining the significance of each. They should also describe their current approach to different writing situations—academic, professional, or personal—and compare it to their previous approaches, providing examples from their revised projects as evidence.

Furthermore, students are expected to reflect on areas needing further development as they prepare for the next semester. They should consider what specific writing skills or strategies they would like to improve and how they plan to focus on these in future writing endeavors. The process of creating the portfolio involves consolidating all materials—revised projects, reflective essay, and any supplementary files—into a single document formatted according to MLA guidelines, including a Works Cited page. The entire portfolio is due on the scheduled final exam day, with the exact deadline specified on Moodle.

Writing the Reflective Essay and Portfolio

In preparing the reflection, students should aim for a length of three to four pages, maintaining an informal, conversational tone that promotes genuine reflection. The essay should include an engaging introduction, clear development of ideas, and a thoughtful conclusion that considers future writing goals. The two revisited projects will serve as tangible examples showcasing the writer's growth and changing understanding of writing. Through this process, students will not only demonstrate their revisions but also deepen their awareness of their own writing processes and how their approaches have evolved over the semester.

References

Blair, J. (2014). Writing and revision: A guide for students and teachers. Routledge.

Eccles, J. (2020). Exploring the writing process: Strategies for success. Pearson.

Graff, G., & Birkenstein, C. (2017). They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing (4th ed.). W.W. Norton & Company.

Kellogg, R. T. (2008). Training writing skills: A cognitive developmental perspective. Journal of Writing Research, 1(1), 1-26.

Lavelle, P. (2007). Making writing matter: Creative strategies for teaching writing in any subject. Teachers College Press.

Moore, T. (2019). The craft of college writing. Bedford/St. Martin's.

Silva, T. (2007). How the arts can shape student writers. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 50(2), 136-140.

Smith, F. (2013). Studying writing: Modalities and methods. Routledge.

Warren, B. (2016). Foundations of academic writing. Routledge.

Young, S. (2018). Writing as a process: Developing writerly identity. College Composition and Communication, 69(4), 567-589.